`Paella In The Park`

The Fort Lauderdale Historical Society will host ``Paella in the Park,`` 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Bubier Park to kick off the Second Annual Fort Lauderdale Seafood Festival.

Felipe Perez, head chef of the Miami restaurant Las Cuevas del Sacromonte, will prepare paella for hundreds of guests in one gigantic paella pan. (Paella is a Spanish specialty that combines shrimp, clams, scallops, lobster, fish, vegetables and rice.)

Guests also can enjoy beer and wine, authentic Spanish music, and a ``rum bar.`` The rum bar, sponsored by the company Ron Matusalen, will offer samples of three rum drinks made specially for the event. Each guest will vote for his favorite drink; the most popular drink will become the official rum drink of the Fort Lauderdale Seafood Festival and will be available there.

Admission to ``Paella in the Park`` is $25 per person. Reservations are necessary; please call 463-4431. All proceeds benefit the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society. Bubier Park is at 100 SE Las Olas Blvd., between Andrews Avenue and Southeast First Avenue on the north side of the New River. Valet parking will be available.

The Fort Lauderdale Seafood Festival will take place 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday on the north bank of the New River. More than 15 restaurants will offer seafood specialties for nominal prices. Musical performances, oyster- eating contests, children`s games and a dunk tank with local politicians as targets will be highlighted at the festival.

Admission to the festival is free. For more information call 463-4431.

A PAIR OF COOKING CLASSES

A Kids Microwave Cooking Class will be held 2 to 3 p.m. April 29 at Boca Village Market, 7887 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton.

Children submitting original recipes win free prizes. Admission is free. For more information call 994-4890.

The fee is $59 and includes food costs. For more information call 786-4111 or 772-5352.

CAJUN CUISINE A WINNER

The rage of Cajun cuisine captured the favor of judges in the Second Annual Seafood Superbowl competition for professional chefs held recently in Tallahasee at the Department of Hospitality Administration, Florida State University. Louisiana Chef Alex Patout edged out chefs from Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina and New Jersey to win the event.

The competition required each chef to prepare the entree and make two appetizers using ingredients presented to them in a ``Mystery Box.`` These chefs were allowed to use whatever they wanted of the box`s contents. The box contained a variety of seafood along with vegetables and assorted staple items.

Here is the winning recipe.

REDFISH EUGENIE

1pint heavy whipping cream

1tablespoon dry sweet basil

1tablespoon dry oregano

Dash nutmeg

1cup (mixed) chopped onion tops and parsley

2pounds peeled crawfish tails

6to 8 ounces redfish fillets

1teaspoon salt

1teaspoon red pepper

1/2teaspoon black pepper

1/2teaspoon white pepper

Flour

1cup margarine

To make sauce: Pour cream into large skillet on medium-high heat stirring often. Let cream simmer and as water evaporates, cream will thicken. While simmering, add seasonings, herbs, chopped onion tops and parsley. Let cook together until cream thickens. Test to see if cream is thick enough by letting drip from spoon. Drops should be thick and the last drop should remain on spoon.

Once consistency has been reached, add crawfish. Crawfish will add water and thin out sauce at first. Continue to stir, bringing cream back to a simmer. Continue cooking until thickness is once again obtained.

Pat fillets dry. Season fish by sprinkling salt, red pepper, black pepper and white pepper over both sides of fillet. Lightly coat with flour. In large skillet melt margarine. Once hot, pan-fry fillets under medium-high fire turning just once on each side. Cook until golden brown. Place on serving plate. Pour generous amount of sauce over fish, balancing out crawfish tails.

RENO WINE ADVENTURE

The Reno Wine Adventure, one of America`s premier wine events, will celebrate its fifth year at Harrah`s Reno with four days of tastings, seminars, cooking demonstrations and a gourmet dinner, April 17 to 20.

More than 90 of the West`s outstanding wineries will be on hand to pour their vintages, and the ``Best of Class`` and ``Best of Show`` winners will be announced from Harrah`s National Wine Competition for Cabernet Sauvignons.